LSE selects HP ProLiant servers for Infolect

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) has selected hardware from HP to power its real-time data delivery application, Infolect.

Infolect was introduced to replace the LSE's London Market Information Link (LMIL) distribution system and was rolled out in October last year.

HP says it has provided LSE with a scalable hardware platform based on around 100 HP ProLiant servers, distributed across three London sites, to power Infolect.

Based on the Microsoft .Net framework and Microsoft SQL Server database, Infolect has a data latency of only two milliseconds and broadcasts 20 million messages a day to more than 100,000 terminals in more than 100 countries.

The application was developed in anticipation of the demand for greater speeds in data delivery and a need for support for different protocols.

Robin Paine, chief technology officer, LSE, says there has been a rapid take-up of algorithmic trading solutions by client firms and these programmed systems are designed to target split-second nuances in the market, and there is a big demand to cut latency times.

"The success of Infolect depends critically on the hardware platform. HP has provided us with a scalable, high-performance infrastructure that is both agile and manageable," says Paine.

Infolect is a key component of the exchange's technology roadmap (TRM) - a four year transition to next generation trading technology - due for completion in early 2007.